Over the last few weeks, we had a lot of rain and you probably had to drain some water… However, after you drained the excess water from your pool, you might have noticed a slight bathtub ring. If you have a chance in the next few days, here are a few ways to clean the tiles and prevent further damage to your pool.

Why does the “bathtub ring” matter?

If you don’t clean your tiles on a regular basis, the dirt and oil can calcify on your tiles and permanently damage them. Once the calcification process occurs, you will need to call in a specialist to remove the damage without hurting your pool. In order to prevent this and other harmful agents:

Sweep all of your tiles at least once a week. Start at the rim of the pool and brush down in even strokes. Don’t forget to vacuum the pool floor in order to pick up any of the excess dirt that you removed from the walls.

Clean your tiles on a regular basis with a phosphate-based pool tile cleaner that you can buy at your pool supply store. This prevents algae build-up on the tiles and grout. Follow the directions on the cleaning solution, but normally you will apply the cleaner with a sponge and let it sit for about 10 minutes prior to wiping off.

Did you know algae can also permanently damage your tiles and the grout? In order to mitigate algae penetration, use a telescoping tile cleaning brush. If you see any marks on the tile after you have swept each wall, you can use a tile-cleaning pumice stone and lightly rub on each mark and watch them disappear. This is also true of calcium deposits. If you start to see dingy white or gray buildup, use the pumice stone and work your way around the perimeter. After you have completed these processes, you definitely want to vacuum up the debris from the bottom of the pool.

Do you have a suntan-lotion scum line? Although you can prevent this build-up by adding enzymes to your pool each week, if you start to see an oily residue on the tiles, use a low-sudsing, non-soap cleaner to remove it.

At Tropical Pools and Pavers, we encourage preventative maintenance and these simple steps will help keep your tile sparkling as well as save you lots of money on tile repair or professional cleaning. If you have any questions regarding your pool, please feel free to contact us.